Welcome to the Student Help page! Check out this page anytime you have questions about interacting with your teacher on PBS LearningMedia or just finding your way around the site. In addition to helping you out if you get stuck on something, this page will teach you how to:

Yes. You can click the Student Site link located at the top of the page.

I forgot my username or answer to my secret question. What can I do?

If you have completed an assignment while logged in, the teacher who created the assignment will have your username. Otherwise, you will need to create a new account.

What should I do if I’m having a problem with the website?

If you are experiencing a problem with the website, contact your teacher or an adult and ask them to go to www.pbslearningmedia.com and click Contact Us at the bottom of the page.

Can parents and students request that data be deleted from the PBS LearningMedia system?

- Students and parents can send an email to LearningMediaContact@pbs.org and provide the teacher’s name, email address, school, and the reason you want the content removed. We'll respond to your request within 48 hours.

Will I ever be automatically logged out of the website?

- If you are not active on the site for an hour, you will be automatically logged out.

Can I favorite resources without having a PBS LearningMedia account?

- You can view resources without being logged in but you must be logged in to favorite resources. If you try to favorite a resource without being logged in you will be prompted to login or create an account.

Can I complete an assignment without logging in?

- Yes, but you will be prompted to enter your name during the process.

Create an account

In most cases, students can access assignments without having to log in. However, some interactives do require students to create an account and log in. This section shows you how to create a PBS LearningMedia student account.

How do I create an account?

- In the upper right corner of the Student homepage, click either ENTER CODE OR LOG IN (Figure 1).

Figure 1

- Click I need an account! (Figure 2).

Figure 2

- Click the month, day and yeardropdown menus to choose the month, day, and year you were born (3.1).

- When finished, click Next (Figure 3.2).

Figure 3

- Your new login name appears (Figure 4.1).

- If you don't like the login name you've been assigned, click the left and right facing arrows to select another login (Figure 4.2). You can scroll through as many different names as you like until you find the perfect one.

- When you have found a name you like, click Next (Figure 4.3).

Figure 4

Now it's time to set your secret question and answer. We want to be sure it's really you when you log in to your site!

- Click the Choose a Question dropdown menu (Figure 5.1).

- Click the question you want to answer (Figure 5.2).

- In the textbox below the question type the answer to the question you chose (Figure 5.3). Be sure it is something that is easy for you to remember! (If you say that your favorite food is broccoli but really it is pizza, make sure you type pizza!)

- When you are finished, click Next (Figure 5.4).

Figure 5

- You now have all of your login information (Figure 6.1). Be sure to write it down or print it out and put it somewhere safe where only you can find it. Use your new login name and your secret question everytime you log in to the website.

- When you have put your information in a safe place, click All done! (Figure 6.2).

After you have created an account you can log in to complete lessons and storyboards.

* Your login information is not case sensitive. You can use all capital letters or all lowercase letters, it doesn't matter.

Figure 6

Your Homepage

Your PBS LearningMedia homepage has been designed just for you! We wanted to make sure you had no problems finding the stuff you need so we put everything right up front and easy to see. The image below illustrates all of the things you can find on your homepage.

- We have modified the PBS LearningMedia logo so you can easily identify that this is your space (1).

- Click ENTER CODE to enter the code your teacher gave to you so you can begin working on your assignments (2).

- Click ASSIGNMENTS* to see the list of tasks that have been assigned to you (3).

- Have you created something? Click PROJECTS** to review your work (4).

- If you've been marking resources as Favorites, find them in FAVORITES* (5).

- Type search criteria into the Search textbox to search for resources (6).

- When you are finished and ready to go do something else, click LOG OUT (7).

* You must be logged in to access. / ** You must be over 13 and logged in to access.

Figure 1

Assignment Codes

What is an Assignment Code?

An Assignment Code is a unique combination of letters and numbers that is assigned to you by your teacher. This code can be given to you by your teacher either in class or as a link in an email.

How do I enter my Assignment Code?

- After receiving your code, click ENTER CODE in the upper right side of your homepage (Figure 1).

* If you have received the code in an email from your teacher, simply click the link and you will be taken directly to the lesson.

Figure 1

- Enter your code in the textbox provided and click GO (Figure 2).

Figure 2

- The name of the lesson appears in the upper left corner in blue (Figure 3.1).

- Type your name in the Your name textbox (Figure 3.2).

- Click Start (Figure 3.3).

* Your name is not case sensitive.

Figure 3

- The Instructions slide appears first (Figure 4.1). The content is on the left side of the page and the slide name is highlighted in the navigation on the right side of the page (Figure 4.2).

- All other slides in the lesson appear in the navigation menu (Figure 4.3). Click the name of the slide to view it or click Next Slide to go to the next slide in order (Figure 4.4).

Figure 4

- At any point you can click Save for Later to save your assignment and continue working on it at another time (Figure 5.1).

- Click the play icon in the middle of the video to play the video (Figure 5.2).

- The slide advances and the answer you selected is greyed out, indicating the question has been answered and cannot be answered again (Figure 7.1).

- You are told if your answer was right or wrong (Figure 7.2).

- A checkmark appears over the number of the question indicating that you have finished with that question (Figure 7.3).

- Click Next Question to advance to the next quiz question (Figure 7.4).

Figure 7

- When have finished all questions in the quiz, each finished question is displayed with a checkmark (Figure 8.1). You can click any checkmark to go back and review the question and how you answered it.

- Click Finish Questions to end the quiz and continue the lesson (Figure 8.2).

Figure 8

- When finished, click Retake this Assignment to work on the assignment again or Return to PBSLearningMedia.org to return to the PBS LearningMedia homepage (Figure 9.1).

- If you've been given another assignment, enter the Assignment Code in the textbox provided and click Go (Figure 9.2).

Figure 9

- If a student comes to a resource in an assignment that requires sign-in, they will be prompted with a Log In button on the resource (Figure 10). After clicking that button, they can log in in the normal way.

Figure 10

Storyboards

What is a Storyboard?

A Storyboard is a graphical representation of an educational module.In other words, instead of cutting out newspaper clippings and pasting them onto a piece cardboard, you can search for digital content and construct a storyboard online! Use videos, images, and colorful backgrounds to make your storyboard exciting and interesting.

* Storyboards are available to users over the age of 13.

How do I create a Storyboard?

Use the following elements to create your Storyboard:

- Media – Add video, images, audio files, and interactives to support the theme and add depth to your Storyboard.

- Text – Use text to support your graphical elements and provide detail to support your Storyboard.

Lessons

What is a Lesson?

A Lesson is an interactive activity that you can complete as part of an in-class activity or a homework assignment.

How do I complete a Lesson?

After your teacher has shared the lesson code with you in class or emailed the lesson code to you, you can complete the lesson on your own. The example below begins with your teacher emailing the lesson code to a student who does not have account.

- When you receive the email from your teacher, click the link (Figure 1).

- The title of lesson appears in blue at the top to let you know that you are working on the right lesson (Figure 2.1).

- Type your name in the Your Name textbox (Figure 2.2). Students who share the same first name should type their first name and last initial.

- To begin the lesson, click Start (Figure 2.3).

- The Instructions slide appears first (Figure 3.1) and is highlighted on the right navigation menu (Figure 3.2).

- To advance to the next slide, click the slides on the right navigation menu (Figure 3.3) or click Next Slide (Figure 3.4).

- At any point you can click Save for Later to save your lesson and continue another time (Figure 4.1).

- Click the play button in the middle of the video to watch the video (Figure 4.2). Pay careful attention to the video so you can answer the questions after!

- When you are finished watching the video, click Next Slide (Figure 4.3).

- After you've selected an answer, click Submit Answer to move to the next question (Figure 5.1).

- Each question is represented by a number at the bottom of the screen (Figure 5.2). In this example, the lesson includes three questions.

- When you've answered the last question, click Finish Questions to go to the next step (Figure 6.1).

- Each completed question is marked with an orange checkmark (Figure 6.2).

- The assignment is completed. If you feel you want to retake the lesson, click Retake this Assignment or you can return to the homepage by clicking Return to PBS LearningMedia.org (Figure 7.1).

- If you have been assigned another lesson, type the Assignment Code in the textbox provided and click Go (Figure 7.2).

How do I see My Favorites?

- Click FAVORITES in the top navigation menu. You must be logged in to view Favorites.

Can I see everything that has been assigned to me in one place?

- Yes.Click ASSIGNMENTS in the top navigation menu to see all Lessons and Storyboards that have been assigned to you. You must be logged in to view Assignments.

Can I see everything that I have created in one place?

- Yes.Click PROJECTS in the top navigation menu.You must be logged in or have a code to access this space. You must be logged in to view Projects.

* Users under the age of 13 do not see PROJECTS.

Can I share PBS LearningMedia content with others?

- There is no sharing functionality on resource pages, however, if you are a student over the age of 13 you can share your Storyboards by clicking Share in the top navigation menu (Figure 1).

Figure 1

Puzzles

What kind of puzzles are there?

There are two types of puzzles that can be assigned to you:

1. Crossword - a puzzle consisting of a grid of squares and blanks into which words crossing vertically and horizontally are written according to clues.

2. Word Search - a word game that consists of letters of words placed in a grid with an objective to find and mark all the hidden words.

How do I solve a word search puzzle?

- If your teacher has sent you an email with a link to the puzzle, click thelink to open the puzzle (Figure 1).

- If your teacher has written the assignment code on the classroom board, simply go to http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/student/, click Assignments and put the Assignment code in the textbox at the top of the page.

- If your teacher has sent you an email with a link to the puzzle, click thelink to open the puzzle (Figure 1).

- If your teacher has written the assignment code on the classroom board, simply go to http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/student/, click Assignments and put the Assignment code in the textbox at the top of the page.

Interactive Lessons (IL) are online modules containing a wide range of lessons that students of all levels can work on independently and complete at their own pace. The concept behind these lessons is to make the process of learning more enjoyable by including features such as videos, animations, photographs, maps, charts, graphs, drawings, interactive slide shows, simulations, and games. Students can interact with the lesson and submit their answers and conclusions to the teacher without going to another site.

Interactive Lesson Features

Interactive Lessons contain a wide variety of features with which students can interact to enhance their experience and make learning more exciting. The following is a quick snapshot of available features:

Notes - a space where you can practice note-taking while responding to writing prompts

Arrange It - a graphic organizer that helps you understand relationships between and/or among core concepts

Chart It - a graphic organizer that helps you organize and sort information

Highlight It - a virtual highlighter that helps to identify words or passages in response to a prompt when doing a close reading

Infograph It - create free-form visual presentations using images, text, and shapes, or upload or provide a link to a graphic presentation you've made or scanned

Match It - a “fill-in-the-blanks” tool that helps you practice vocabulary

Organize It - an outlining tool that you can use to prepare a final essay

Review It - a multiple choice quiz that helps you check their knowledge and understanding of a lesson

Visualize It - a drawing and labeling tool that helps you recall information

Write It - a tool to help complete a final writing assignment, upload a file, or provide a link to an online document

How to search for interactive lessons

You can seach for interactive lessons in the following ways:

- Type search criteria in the search box at the top of the page and when results appear, click the Interactive Lessons checkbox on the left navigation menu. Take a look!

- Click the All Types dropdown menu at the top of the page and click Interactive Lesson. Check it out!

- From www.pbslearningmedia.org, click the name of the Interactive Lesson plan (Figure 1). Interactive Lesson Plans are designated by an interactive icon displayed in the lower left corner.

Figure 1

- The same Interactive icon is present on the left side of the screen (Figure 2.1).

- In the center of the main ILP graphic, click Launch (Figure 2.2).

Figure 2

The Interactive Lesson opens in a new browser window. Typically, the first slide contains an overview and describes objectives of the lesson.

- Navigate each lesson by clicking the right facing arrow in the upper right corner of the page (Figure 3.1) or jump to a specific page by clicking Menu in the upper left (Figure 3.2).

Figure 3

- Throughout the lesson you will encounter activities that involve submitting answers or completing a task. After completing an activity click Save (Figure 4).

Figure 4

How to review your work

All work completed in an Interactive Lesson is stored in a “digital notebook” called MY WORK which is accessible in the top navigation menu. As you make your way through an Interactive Lesson you will encounter activities along the way that require or encourage feedback. When each activity is saved, the content is automatically stored in the MY WORK section and is retrievable at any time.

How to submit your work

Once you complete all activities you can submit the assignment to your teacher for their review.

- To submit your work, click Hand in My Work (Figure 1).

- A confirmation message appears. Close the browser tab to return to the PBS LearningMedia website (Figure 2).

PBS LearningMedia New York is brought to you through a collaboration between New York State's nine public television stations: